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Parents and Caregivers

Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) offers services specifically for parents and caregivers and are provided by our trained staff. Below you will find a range of education, training and consultation services designed by our team to best fit your needs.

Education

Family Orientation: Family Orientation connects parents and caregivers of children, teens and adults with autism spectrum disorder to current information that will help navigate the journey of autism. Attend an orientation meeting with other parents that share in this common experience. Participants will learn about supports and services, evidence-based interventions, resources, and SARRC programs specific to your child's stage of life. Family orientations are generously sponsored and there is no cost to attend. These meetings are exclusively for parents/caregivers. For more information or to register, view our events calendar for upcoming family orientations here.

In-Person Educational Presentations: ​Presentations are designed to deliver information in a didactic format with video examples, discussion, and interactive activities to create a foundation of knowledge. Presentations are appropriate for a broad audience including parents, caregivers, educators and professionals that impact outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A variety of evidence-based topics and trainings such as our ABA Everyday Series and Pivotal Response Treatment for early language learners are offered throughout the year.

ThinkAsperger's: ThinkAsperger'sis an outreach program that educates parents and caregivers to “Think Asperger’s” when they see subtle social challenges in young children.

Dental care for individuals with autism: Oral health care is the most prevalent unmet health care need among children with and without special needs. Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation enabled SARRC to develop Dental Information Guides and Trainings for families of individuals with autism, autism service providers, and dental professionals to expand oral healthcare for those on the spectrum in dental offices and at home.

Training

Video Workshop (ages 16 months to 6 years): This group workshop meets over the course of four consecutive days. During the first training day, participants receive instruction with video examples on Pivotal Response Treatment. After the first day, you will receive a video camera to record interactions between you and your child. Together with other parents, you will meet with a SARRC Clinical Consultant to review interactions, like play, recorded of you and your child. Comprehensive feedback will be provided on your use of Pivotal Response Treatment to maximize your interactions with your child.

Consultation

12-Week Training (ages 6 months to 6 years): This individualized program meets in the clinic once a week for an hour. The parent or caregiver will meet one-on-one with the clinician to incorporate evidence-based teaching strategies into parent-child routines and play such as playing, singing, reading, changing and bathing.

One-Week Training(ages 16 months to 6 years): SARRC's one-week, intensive parent training program meets in the clinic for five consecutive days. The parent or caregiver will meet with the clinician one-on-one to incorporate evidence-based teaching strategies into parent-child routines and play.

In 1997, SARRC was founded by two mothers and their developmental pediatrician. Today, we’re internationally recognized for our autism research, education, evidence-based treatment and community outreach.